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Greatest NBA Player to wear each jersey number 00-99

By Larry Hammonds

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant(L) and Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan(R) talk during a free-throw attempt during the fourth quarter 17 December at the United Center in Chicago. Bryant, who is 19 and bypassed college basketball to play in the NBA, scored a team-high 33 points off the bench, and Jordan scored a team-high 36 points. The Bulls defeated the Lakers 104-83. AFP PHOTO VINCENT LAFORET (Photo by VINCENT LAFORET / AFP) (Photo credit should read VINCENT LAFORET/AFP/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant(L) and Chicago Bulls guard Michael Jordan(R) talk during a free-throw attempt during the fourth quarter 17 December at the United Center in Chicago. Bryant, who is 19 and bypassed college basketball to play in the NBA, scored a team-high 33 points off the bench, and Jordan scored a team-high 36 points. The Bulls defeated the Lakers 104-83. AFP PHOTO VINCENT LAFORET (Photo by VINCENT LAFORET / AFP) (Photo credit should read VINCENT LAFORET/AFP/Getty Images) /
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Jose Calderon
Jose Calderon (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

Greatest NBA Player to wear each jersey number: 81, Jose Calderon

In his prime, Jose Calderon was known as a crafty scorer and talented playmaker. After spending his first seven and a half seasons in the league with the Toronto Raptors, Calderon would play for six different teams over the next seven seasons before finally retiring. He wore five different jersey numbers over his 13-year career, and in the last two seasons, he elected to rock number 81, becoming the first NBA player ever to do so.

Though his production had fallen off as he aged, Calderon was still a sharp-witted veteran in his final years. Over his last two seasons, Calderon appeared in 106 games (32 starts) and dished out 232 assists to just 76 turnovers, with a 3.05 assist-to-turnover ratio and shooting splits of .452/.383/.805 in 14.6 minutes per game. After making the lone NBA Finals appearance of his career in 2018 as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Calderon played one more season with the Detroit Pistons before finally retiring.

Fun fact, in 2009, Calderon set the record for the highest free throw percentage in a single season when he made 151 of 154 attempts (98.1 percent).

Honorable Mention: Miye Oni

Greatest NBA Player to wear each jersey number: 77, Luka Doncic

I know it’s crazy right, only in his third season, and Luka Doncic is on this list. Well, he’s been that good. Also, there have only been 13 other players to wear the number 77 during their NBA career. Luka burst onto the NBA scene, fresh off a championship run with Real Madrid. He won the Liga ACB championship, All-Liga First-team, MVP and won the Euroleague championship Final Four MVP, named to the All-Euroleague First-team, and MVP.

Drafted third overall in the 2018 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks and was subsequently traded to the Dallas Mavericks on draft day, the 6’7″ Slovenian point-forward has been nothing short of sensational. He became the first teenager to record a 30-point triple-double and with multiple triple-doubles when he scored 35 points, with 12 rebounds and 10 assists against the Toronto Raptors, en route to winning the NBA Rookie of the Year award.

Following an impressive sophomore campaign, Doncic became the first player since Tim Duncan to make the All-NBA First-team in his first or second season.

At just 21 years old, he’s already revered as one of the better scorers and playmakers in the league. In the second season of his career, he led the Mavericks to the playoffs. Though they lost in the first round, he knocked down a buzzer-beating, game-winning 3-pointer against the LA Clippers.

In the same game he made that buzzer-beater, he became the youngest player to ever record a 40-point triple-double in the playoffs. One could write a book on all that Luka has accomplished in his NBA career, and he’s only in his third season and still hasn’t won an MVP or championship. His career has gotten off to a Hall of Fame start, and the sky is the limit for the 21-year-old. He’s looking like a generational talent and all-time great and hasn’t even played 200 games yet.

His skill level and high basketball I.Q make everything he does look so effortless and easy. He needs to improve his defense and shot selection, but with career averages of 25.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 7.7 assists, there’s no denying this young man’s greatness.

Honorable Mention: Vladimir Radmanovic